So this past week, I was feeling really crafty. I do enjoy crafts, but I don't usually have the time or the inspiration to do them. Well recently I had both. With Gabriella's first birthday coming, I wanted to get to work on her scrapbook that I am behind in. So I spent some time during naptime the other day and pre-made some layouts as I waited on the mailman to bring me the pictures I ordered on Snapfish. I was pretty proud to get these layouts done (and one other, not pictured) in the span of one naptime! Wahoo! Now when the pictures get here, I just have to slap them on the pages and into the scrapbook they go.
So I was at Party City a few weeks ago buying decorations for Gabby's party. I was looking for a sign that said "Happy Birthday" that would follow the ladybug theme I was doing for the party. They didn't have exactly what I was looking for, but something that was ok so I bought it... for $4. Well, I still wasn't satisfied and when the party expenses started adding up, I thought... you know I could make this myself (partial inspiration goes to Megan's
sister-in-law Natalie's recent creation). So using my printer and some scrapbooking paper and ribbon
I already had I created the cute, personalized sign below which I loved even more than the $4 one I had purchased and this one didn't cost me a thing since I already had everything (you can click on the picture for a bigger image to better see it's cutness). Love it - and the fact that it was also done in the span of one naptime!
$4 saved!
This money savings inspired me, so I decided to look through some of the other things I had bought to see if I could return some of them and save some money by making some things myself. I was able to sort through my purchases and return $20 worth of supplies!!! I had bought 2 bags of cups - red and black - but decided to return them and use the red cups
I already had and just draw black spots on them to make them look like ladybugs!
$4 saved! I was making some cute ladybug cupcakes (see her birthday party post coming soon) that were so fun to look at... so that meant I could use those for decoration and I didn't really need the centerpiece I had bought to match the sign I was returning anyway.
Another $4 saved! I had bought some ladybug tatoo's for the kids to take home as a party favor, and found out my mom had sweetly bought some for me to use. So I returned the ones I had bought - and hers were much cuter anyway! Score!
Another $3 saved! A few other things returned that I found cheaper elsewhere... and I had saved over $20! Not only did I get some money back, I got cuter and more personal decorations as well as a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Then another blogger inspired me to do the creation below. For less than $10, I was able to create the super-easy yet adorable Halloween decoration you see below. This was also done in just a little bit over the span of one naptime (are you sensing a theme telling you the only time period of my day I have time to get things done). SO fun!
I'm not feeling quite as crafty anymore, I think I got it all out! But I am very happy with the creations it resulted in! Happy crafting... hope some of these can help inspire you as well! If you need more inspiration - check out this awesome blog I stumbled onto -
JOYS OF HOME!
The Wizard of Oz Crew - Tin man, Lion, Toto, Scarecrow, and Dorothy. The ensemble cast with our neighbors The Chambers family!
The balloons for our 1 year old's lady bug party!
The cupcake makers the night before the party!
The finished result - look at those cute ladybugs!
Our 1 year old in her fun birthday shirt!
Listening to the story Ladybug's Birthday
My mom, aka "Meme", reading to the kids
Gabriella with her great grandparents!
The obligatory and very sweet messy-cake-face picture! We love you so much sweet thing!
All pooped out after a fun morning!
Oliver got to ride some carnival rides! Here he is measuring up!
In the "little hands" farming area - what a cute idea!
Feeding a giraffe - where else but the state fair do you have a giraffe in the petting zoo!!! One of Oliver's favorite animals too!
Gabriella playing with Aunt Natty's sunglasses - and LOVING it!
Oli enjoying his first turkey leg
What Oliver thought of "Big Tex"
What Gabriella thought of "Big Tex"
This money savings inspired me, so I decided to look through some of the other things I had bought to see if I could return some of them and save some money by making some things myself. I was able to sort through my purchases and return $20 worth of supplies!!! I had bought 2 bags of cups - red and black - but decided to return them and use the red cups I already had and just draw black spots on them to make them look like ladybugs! $4 saved! I was making some cute ladybug cupcakes (see her birthday party post coming soon) that were so fun to look at... so that meant I could use those for decoration and I didn't really need the centerpiece I had bought to match the sign I was returning anyway. Another $4 saved! I had bought some ladybug tatoo's for the kids to take home as a party favor, and found out my mom had sweetly bought some for me to use. So I returned the ones I had bought - and hers were much cuter anyway! Score! Another $3 saved! A few other things returned that I found cheaper elsewhere... and I had saved over $20! Not only did I get some money back, I got cuter and more personal decorations as well as a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment.
Our sweet baby girl had a big day today - she turned 1! That's right... exactly one year ago at 2:06am our little girl came into the world - and we couldn't be more in love! Gabriella has a contagious smile, a happy demeanor, and is an accomplished climber. I love this picture to the left of our family of four on the day she was born.
Strike a pose
"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to"
We went out for ice cream to celebrate - I think Oliver enjoyed that part of the day as much as (or more) than she did!
Mmmm... we got her Cake Batter ice cream since cake is the traditional birthday dessert. We will be having the cake though - stay tuned for an update about her birthday party coming this Saturday!
Ahh!
Oliver and Granna at the pumpkin house
Gabriella practicing her standing - with the pumpkin's help
Checking out the animals - Gabriella made sure to "bark" at all of them... her noise for all animals
My darlings at the pumpkin patch!
Mommy and her kitty cat
Landen, Elana and Oliver (our neighbor friends)
Smiling Girl!
Balancing Act
Playing in brother's car
Talking... here I believe she is saying "dgjuh" or "juhh"
A connoisseur of fine foods... here she is sampling some lovely, yellow sidewalk chalk
At the top of the toddler slide - she climbed up all by herself! She is quite the little climber. Much more so than her older brother.
Thinking about coming down
Barking at the doggies - LOVES to do this. It's very cute - she shapes her mouth like an 'o' and says "uh, uh, uh" - darling! Just like brother used to do...
